If you are seeing this message, you are likely using an older browser to view this site. This website's content is fully accessible to all browsers, however the web site will look much better and your experience will be much more enjoyable if you upgrade your browser to a more current version. Please visit this web site to upgrade your browser.
Radon is a cancer-causing, radioactive gas.
You can't see radon. And you can't smell it or taste it. But it may be a problem in your home.
Radon is estimated to cause many thousands of deaths each year. That's because when you breathe air containing radon, you can get lung cancer. In fact, the Surgeon General has warned that radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States today. Only smoking causes more lung cancer deaths. If you smoke and your home has high radon levels, your risk of lung cancer is especially high.
Radon can be found all over the U.S.
Radon comes from the natural (radioactive) breakdown of uranium in soil, rock and water and gets into the air you breathe. Radon can be found all over the U.S. It can get into any type of building - homes, offices, and schools - and result in a high indoor radon level. But you and your family are most likely to get your greatest exposure at home, where you spend most of your time.
You should test for radon.
Testing is the only way to know if you and your family are at risk from radon. EPA and the Surgeon General recommend testing all homes below the third floor for radon. EPA also recommends testing in schools.
Testing is inexpensive and easy - it should only take a few minutes of your time. Millions of Americans have already tested their homes for radon (see How to Test Your Home).
You can fix a radon problem.
Radon reduction systems work and they are not too costly. Some radon reduction systems can reduce radon levels in your home by up to 99%. Even very high levels can be reduced to acceptable levels.
New homes can be built with radon-resistant features.
Radon-resistant construction techniques can be effective in preventing radon entry. When installed properly and completely, these simple and inexpensive techniques can help reduce indoor radon levels in homes. In addition, installing them at the time of construction makes it easier and less expensive to reduce radon levels further if these passive techniques don't reduce radon levels to below 4 pCi/L. Every new home should be tested after occupancy, even if it was built radon-resistant. If radon levels are still in excess of 4 pCi/L, the passive system should be activated by having a qualified mitigator install a vent fan. For more explanation of radon resistant construction techniques, refer to EPA publication, Building Radon Out: A Step-by-Step Guide on How to Build Radon-Resistant Homes 
.
How Does Radon Get Into Your Home?
Radon is a radioactive gas. It comes from the natural decay of uranium that is found in nearly all soils. It typically moves up through the ground to the air above and into your home through cracks and other holes in the foundation. Your home traps radon inside, where it can build up. Any home may have a radon problem. This means new and old homes, well-sealed and drafty homes, and homes with or without basements.
Radon from soil gas is the main cause of radon problems. Sometimes radon enters the home through well water (see "Radon in Water" below). In a small number of homes, the building materials can give off radon, too. However, building materials rarely cause radon problems by themselves.
Radon gets in through:
The primary goal of the Utah Division of Radiation Control's (DRC) Indoor Radon Program is to reduce the level of indoor radon in the state of Utah to concentrations less than the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) action level of 4 pCi/L (pico-Curies per liter).
The Radon program is partially funded by the State Indoor Radon Grant from the EPA. The Division of Radiation Control, in addition to responding to telephone inquiries from the public, provides education through public outreach, conducts ''target area" indoor radon surveys, and individualized assistance to homeowners and public agencies concerning all aspects of the indoor radon hazard problem.
The Indoor Radon Program focuses its efforts in the following five areas:
Philip Griffin
Program Coordinator
Salt Lake City Number: (801)536-4250
Radon Hotline Number:(800)458-0145
Fax Number: (801)533-4097
E-mail: pgriffin@utah.gov
Question: Is radon a problem in Utah?
Answer: Excessive radon levels have been found in all of the 50 states. In Utah one in four of the homes have radon levels in excess of the EPA recommended action level of 4 picoCuries of radon per liter of air.
Question: How can radon damage my health?
Answer: Thousands of preventable lung cancer deaths annually in the United States are attributable to indoor residential exposure to radon. Either smoking or radon exposure can independently increase the risk of lung cancer. However, exposure to both greatly enhances that risk. (At exposures to 4 pCi of radon per liter of air, the lifetime lung cancer risk attributable to radon rises from 2 cases per thousand in non-smokers to 29 cases per thousand in smokers).
Question: How much reliance can I put on these risk factors?
Answer: The risk factors were developed from epidemiological studies of underground miners exposed to radon. Because the studies collected data from human adult males rather than from animal subjects, they have a higher confidence level than is applied to toxicological studies. The Surgeon General, the Environmental Protection Agency, the National Academy of Sciences, the American Medical Association, the American Lung Association and the World Health Organization have all identified indoor radon pollution as a national health problem.
Question: How does radon get into my home?
Answer: Radon moves from uranium-bearing granite deposits in the soil to atmosphere because there is a lower concentration of radon in the atmosphere than in the soil. Your home is sited in its path and because the house is usually warmer than the surrounding soil, the air pressure is less and soil gases including radon move into the home. The most common routes are: spaces between basement walls and slab cracks in foundations and/or walls openings around sump pumps and drains construction joints crawl spaces showers, etc using well water with high radon concentrations.
Question: My house is new (old) so it shouldn't have a problem, right?
Answer: The age of a home is not a factor when it comes to whether excessive levels of radon are present in the dwelling.
Question: My neighbor tested and did not find a radon problem so my home should be OK, right?
Answer: Unfortunately, that is a false assumption. Usually neither the location of the radon source or its strength (radioactivity) is known. In addition, the air spaces found in different soil types allow movement at different rates and we seldom know what those types are 20 to 30 feet below the surface where they act as channels or dams, predicting a radon level in one home on the basis of a tested level in a home 75 to 200 or so feet away becomes radon guessing. The location of ancient stream beds (channel) and of granite out cropping (the source) also compound prediction reliability.
Question: How do I know if my home has a radon problem?
Answer: Test for radon. There are many kinds of low cost "do it yourself" radon test kitswhich may be ordered through the mail or purchased from hardware stores and other retail outlets. Be sure the kit packaging displays the phrase "Meets EPA requirements" or Hire a EPA-qualified radon tester. Lists of qualified measurement testers may be obtained from the National Environmental Health Association (NEHA) at http://www.Radongas.org/ or by calling the Division of Radiation Control at 801-536-4250 or 1-800-458-0145.
Question: Does the State do radon testing?
Answer: No, the State does not compete with private industry, we provide information and advice only.
Question: I am renting a house (apartment) and am concerned about radon. Does my landlord have to test for radon if I ask him?
Answer: No, you will have to do it yourself unless you can persuade him/her to test.
Question: I tested my rental home (apartment) and the radon reading was high, is my landlord required to "fix" this problem?
Answer: No, there is no legal requirement for him/her to mitigate the radon level.
Question: Where can we get a radon test kit?
Answer: You can purchase them from some home improvement centers (be sure the kit is marked "Meets EPA Requirements"), and directly from radon measurement laboratories (See labs listed on NEHA's proficiency program at through the mail for prices ranging from $10 to $45, or we can send you a coupon so you can, order a charcoal test kit from the Utah Safety Council.
Question: How much do the radon test kits cost?
Answer: In retail outlets charcoal canisters cost about $25.00, alpha track detectors which are usually used for long-term tests cost $30.00 or so.
Question: Are the 'Do-It-Yourself' test kits as accurate as those used by those persons I could hire to do the testing for me?
Answer: YES, if you use a kit that meets EPA requirements and you follow the instructions on the label exactly and return it to the lab promptly as directed.
Question: What is the difference between long and short term tests?
Answer: Short-term tests take 60 hours to complete. The house is closed for 12 hours, then the test instrument is activated or opened and left in place for 48 hours or more. Charcoal canisters are the device of choice although electronic instruments may be used. Long-term tests take more than 91 days to complete and are conducted with the house in a normal living mode. Alpha track detectors or electronic detection instruments are used. Long-term test results give a more representative picture of the true radon levels in the home over time as fluctuations due to changes in ambient temperature and barometric pressure are detected and factored into the final valuation.
Question: Which floor is best for testing radon levels?
Answer: Are you wanting to test your home for a real estate transaction or are you are testing for your own purposes? The recommendations are different for the two cases. If you are testing to determine if your home has radon levels warranting mitigation, the EPA recommends testing in the lowest living area of your home. For a real estate transaction, EPA recommends testing in the lowest area which could be modified to become a living area.
Question: I'm closing on a house and need a radon measurement test result quickly. How do I accomplish this?
Answer: Let me fax you our current list of EPA approved Radon Measurement Operators. EPA listed radon testers within Utah can be obtained from the Division of Radiation Control or go to our Internet site at http://www.radon.utah.gov/certified_providers.htm for a list of EPA listed radon measurement individuals. They will use either a continuous monitor which will permit them to giveyou test results at the end of the test period or some other short term measurement device which can be read at a lab and the value reported in short order.
Question: My family has been ill since we moved into this house and we think radon is the cause, what can we do?
Answer: The only proven health effect caused by breathing radon is the development of lung cancer after years of exposure. You may have radon problems and the only way you can know this is to test the air in your home. However, radon is not what is causing your acute symptoms.
Question: I have a high radon reading in my home. How do I get it fixed?
Answer: The method of choice is usually sub-slab (or if you have a crawl space (sub- membrane) depressurization. Contact an EPA listed radon contractor to bid on the job, he will be able to tell you if your home requires a different approach. Most don't.
Question: How much does it cost to have a home remediated (fixed)?
Answer: The cost of a sub-slab system in Colorado is generally less than $1000 unless aggregate or difficult foundation design problems are encountered.
Question: Can you recommend a contractor?
Answer: We can supply you with a list of those contractors who have passed the EPA Radon Contractor Proficiency Examination. EPA listed radon operators. We recommend you call several of them and get estimates for the remediation.
Question: Is sub-slab depressurization (the most effective technological solution) something I can do myself?
Answer: Perhaps, if you have good handy-man skills including electrical wiring skills. If you are unsure, it would be advisable to get an evaluation from one of the EPA-listed contractors before you make up your mind. A good reference can be found in your local library. It is Doug Kladder's PROTECTING YOUR HOME FROM RADON A Step-by-Step Manual for Radon Reduction. If you decide to tackle the job, call back to get a copy of the EPA instruction manual which contains all the specifications for fans, master panels, etc. We will enclose the phone numbers and addresses of several supply houses that specialize in mitigation hardware..
Question: Could I seal and caulk only, and hope it would be enough to correct the problem?
Answer: Perhaps, while caulking and sealing is done as part of the mitigation process,the purpose is not to keep radon out but to hold conditioned air in the dwelling. Because it is impossible to seal all cracks and the task is not only time-consuming, expensive and may or may not reduce the radon levels in the home to acceptable levels. Generally, this procedure is not recommended as a stand alone technique. However, if your have an unfinished basement, and if your radon levels are close to EPA's action level of 4 pCi/l, sealing entry routes may suffice as a radon reduction option.
Question: Should I have my water tested for radon?
Answer: If you have tested the air in your home and found a radon problem and your water comes from a private well you should test the water. (Call a lab certified to measure radiation in water.)
Question: Is radon a problem in drinking water supplies?
Answer: Generally, radon is not a problem with public drinking water systems because during the water treatment process aeration releases dissolved radon to the atmosphere. However, if the water supply is from a private well, radon levels could be unacceptably high. The recommendation is to test the well water if the air radon concentrations in the occupied dwelling are over 4pCi/l.
Question: I am performing an Environmental Site Assessment and need to know the radon level/risk for the property at (identification). Do you have information that can help me?
Answer: Most of Utah is classed as EPA Zone 2, an area of high radon potential(probable indoor radon average between 2 and 4 pCi/L). The EPA has published a map characterizing all Utah counties. If you identify the county, I can tell you how EPA characterized that county. This map may be obtained from the Division of Radiation Control, at 801-536-4250.
You are here: Home >